Surviving sever weather- tornadoes

[foxtimothyj]

Given the recent rash of tornadoes..
Has anyone been in/near a tornado while out on the trail?
Suggestions on how to stay safe and what to do if you find yourself in this situation?

[JaxHiker]

I think step 1 is checking the forecast for potential severe weather first. Obviously this can change and catch you unaware once you're away from civilization. I'd probably do whatever I could to get low and stay low. Find a rock outcropping you can crawl under/into. Find a hole you can hide in. Better yet, haul butt to the nearest road and hitch a ride to safety.

[Fog Horn]

I haven't been on the trail for the tornados but I was stuck in the woods doing land nav. The woods are torn up from the tornado's we've been having (I'm in NC and we're currently under another tornado watch), and I was told to find a ditch and hunker down in it. Apparently this makes you safer because the wind is less intense? My big fear would be that since the trees snap so easily one would fall on me.

I've been told though to avoid buildings if you are in the woods, like shelters or park restrooms, and to get LOW, like in a ditch or as previously mentioned under a rock outcropping. Lower than the ground level is preferred.

[Creek Dancer]

Last weekend a guy from Bluff Mountain Outfitters was shuttling me for a section hike. We were discussing the recent tornados in Raleigh. I told him I was concerned about tornados while hiking in the mountains, and he said that tornados form at about 3,000 feet and I didn't need to worry about that kind of storm where I was going. That's not to say there are no high winds up there!

[ChinMusic]

Last weekend a guy from Bluff Mountain Outfitters was shuttling me for a section hike. We were discussing the recent tornados in Raleigh. I told him I was concerned about tornados while hiking in the mountains, and he said that tornados form at about 3,000 feet and I didn't need to worry about that kind of storm where I was going. That's not to say there are no high winds up there!
I had always wondered about that. You just don't hear about tornadoes at much elevation. I didn't know if that was for atmospheric reasons or because all they would take out at elevation would be trees....not very news worthy.

Straight lines winds are nasty tho and more common but those trees are pretty battle tested.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I had always wondered about that. You just don't hear about tornadoes at much elevation. I didn't know if that was for atmospheric reasons or because all they would take out at elevation would be trees....not very news worthy.

Straight lines winds are nasty tho and more common but those trees are pretty battle tested.

And yet, last night, I was watching the Weather Channel, and the experts were following cells with obvious rotation just west of Helen, GA. They were talking about the elevation, but did not comment that it would reduce the chance of tornados, only block the sound and obstruct visibility so that the warning time was greately reduced.

[foxtimothyj]

I googled "Can tornados form at high elevations?" and got this...

Q: Why do we seldom hear about tornadoes in the mountains?

A: Tornadoes can and do occur at high elevations. In fact, a tornado was recorded at 12,000 feet in California's Sequoia National Park in July 2004. The majority of tornadoes in the USA occur east of the Rockies, where atmospheric conditions are more favorable in the relatively flat Plains states. Part of the reason that we seldom hear about tornadoes in the mountains is the low population density and limited sight-lines in mountainous areas.

[WingedMonkey]

May 29, 1995, a tornado ripped across the trail near Great Barrington Mass. I had hiked that area previous to my '95 thru so I was familiar with how it used to look. When I got there the trail was relocated around some of it but the devastation was amazing. Besides destroying the local fairgrounds almost every tree no mater how large was snapped. It's a fairly level area and I have no idea how anyone hiking could have hid from it. Three people in the area were killed.

[Creek Dancer]

Given the recent rash of tornadoes..
Has anyone been in/near a tornado while out on the trail?
Suggestions on how to stay safe and what to do if you find yourself in this situation?

If I were on the trail and I knew a tornado was coming, I would try to quickly take cover under a rock outcrop, or get inside a hollowed out tree or lay down along side a large downed tree, or get to the leeward side of the mountain or lay down flat in a ditch. And then I would just kiss my arse goodbye. :)

Not sure how much protection an AT shelter would offer, but I suppose it would be better than nothing if one was close by.

[ChinMusic]

If I were on the trail and I knew a tornado was coming, I would try to quickly take cover under a rock outcrop, or get inside a hollowed out tree or lay down along side a large downed tree, or get to the leeward side of the mountain or lay down flat in a ditch. And then I would just kiss my arse goodbye. :)

Not sure how much protection an AT shelter would offer, but I suppose it would be better than nothing if one was close by.
I'm not sure it would be better than nothing. Man-made structures, even good ones, don't fare well. I would think your other options would be better. It would probably be hard to tell yourself that as our instincts are to get inside.

I've been at youth baseball games where weather would roll in. That dugout seems like the place to be but it's a death-trap. Blown fencing from the field would rip you up. I look around for a ditch. Never had to do it thankfully.

[Harrison Bergeron]

If I were on the trail and I knew a tornado was coming, I would try to quickly take cover under a rock outcrop, or get inside a hollowed out tree or lay down along side a large downed tree, or get to the leeward side of the mountain or lay down flat in a ditch. And then I would just kiss my arse goodbye. :)

Not sure how much protection an AT shelter would offer, but I suppose it would be better than nothing if one was close by.

In the crawlspace UNDER the shelter would be excellent tornado protection.

[Creek Dancer]

That could work! Nasty, but that could work!!

[ChinMusic]

In the crawlspace UNDER the shelter would be excellent tornado protection.
Yeah, if they got one that wouldn't be bad option.

[Snowleopard]

A couple decades ago there was some sort of microburst south of Glastenbury Mt. VT that pretty much knocked down all the trees on the trail. When I hiked it there was no shade :( The winds associated with severe thunderstorms can be pretty dangerous even if you're not in a tornado. They're also a more common danger than tornados.
It seems to me that the greatest danger for severe summer storms is a tree falling on you or being struck by blown objects (tree branches, etc.). Using a hollow tree would be a really bad idea. A ditch would be ideal and sheltering next to a boulder or cliff would be good. If you have any warning, get down as low as you can and as sheltered a location as you can find. An AT shelter would be better than nothing; it would at least protect you from blown debris.

[Tennessee Viking]

So far I heard reports of tornadoes and severe storm damage near the AT in Tennessee.

Reports say storms severely damaged areas near the Iron Mountain/Cross Mountain area. Another storm tract damaged the Horse Creek/Camp Creek area below the Bald Mountains ridgeline.

[JaxHiker]

Part of the reason that we seldom hear about tornadoes in the mountains is the low population density and limited sight-lines in mountainous areas.

Hits the nail on the head. You have to keep in mind that Doppler radar can only report what it sees. If the meso is on the other side when it does its sweep it may cross the mountain to your location and be gone in the 4-6 min it takes to complete the sweep. If you're unlucky it might leave you in its wake.

This is why ground truth reports are so important in mountain and even urban areas where the radar's line of sight is disrupted by natural or manmade obstructions.

[garlic08]

I storm that may have been a funnel cloud blew by near Salisbury, CT in '08. Mature oaks were snapped off halfway up the trunk, not toppled, which I heard is a sign of a tornado. Anyway, it was after dark and there was nothing much to do but assume the fetal position in my Tarptent and hope for the best. Sounded like a friggin' train. I swear, I did not whimper. If I'd been walking, I guess I would have done as suggested above and what I was taught growing up in Illinois--look for low ground and try to protect your head.

By the way, do not seek shelter in a shallow cave or rock outcropping in a lightning storm. Ground currents from a nearby strike can arc across a shallow opening.

[vamelungeon]

Seven deaths from last night's storms/tornadoes in Glade Spring, VA which is very near the AT. We DO have tornadoes here in the mountains.

[Gray Blazer]

If you're ever camping near a mountaintop (and hopefully on the leeward side) and you have hurricane force winds blowing across, you'll know why the Indians thought the summits were home to the Great Spirits.

[Tennessee Viking]

Seven deaths from last night's storms/tornadoes in Glade Spring, VA which is very near the AT. We DO have tornadoes here in the mountains.
Here are the pics from Glade Spring
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150165413562191.303749.81895767190

[Yukon]

May 29, 1995, a tornado ripped across the trail near Great Barrington Mass. I had hiked that area previous to my '95 thru so I was familiar with how it used to look. When I got there the trail was relocated around some of it but the devastation was amazing. Besides destroying the local fairgrounds almost every tree no mater how large was snapped. It's a fairly level area and I have no idea how anyone hiking could have hid from it. Three people in the area were killed.

I remember seeing the aftermath of that while looking at colleges in that area. I remember one hillside that was just completely flattened...

[ChinMusic]

Tornadoes in the mountains don't stay on the ground nearly as long as flat land, do they? I would imagine the hills tend to break them up.

[Snowleopard]

By the way, do not seek shelter in a shallow cave or rock outcropping in a lightning storm. Ground currents from a nearby strike can arc across a shallow opening.
You're right, please ignore what I said about sheltering under a rock. People have even been hit by lightning in shallow caves or under rock overhangs. If it's really a tornado, I might take my chances with the lightning; it's a tough call.

[Praha4]

the idea of being safe in an AT shelter all depends on which shelter you are talking about. We've all seen some of the older, less reinforced shelters that I doubt we would want to ride out a tornado. Wonder how the AT hikers made out last night from Springer to southern VA. I would not have wanted to be out there in that storm last night.

[Tinker]

May 29, 1995, a tornado ripped across the trail near Great Barrington Mass. I had hiked that area previous to my '95 thru so I was familiar with how it used to look. When I got there the trail was relocated around some of it but the devastation was amazing. Besides destroying the local fairgrounds almost every tree no mater how large was snapped. It's a fairly level area and I have no idea how anyone hiking could have hid from it. Three people in the area were killed.

The sad irony is that the three people were in a car that just happened to be driving down the road right where the tornado crossed it, at that exact moment. I hiked through that area in 1997. It looked like a lumber mill yard. The tree trunks were stacked one on top of the other over 8 feet high in places with the AT going through the stacks where trail workers had used chainsaws to cut through.

[Wise Old Owl]

Without getting into the details, Body recovery after tonados find a lot of bodys in the crawlspace! The pressure lifts the house and drops it straight down crushing the individual. People that walk away were next to a large solid object that broke the downward thrust. Solid objects such as large pieces of tall over thick furniture or a short concrete wall. In the woods the shelters are best. In a field its the shallow wide ditch. In the Woods its not the hollow log, its the one that is solid and pitched in a fork and you can get beside it.

Yea think about that.

[gregpphoto]

I have daydreams about the following: Im hitchhiking across the midwest, sleeping near the roadside when a tornado hits in the middle of the night. Im screwed!

[Slo-go'en]

I arranged to be in town each time they struck. However, been cleaning up the mess along the trail since. Even broke down and bought a small saw to speed up the work. Good excuse to take a break and do a little trail clean up a couple times a day if the obstruction isn't too big. Been finding one or two trees down in every 15 mile strech or so.

[10-K]

I arranged to be in town each time they struck. However, been cleaning up the mess along the trail since. Even broke down and bought a small saw to speed up the work. Good excuse to take a break and do a little trail clean up a couple times a day if the obstruction isn't too big. Been finding one or two trees down in every 15 mile strech or so.

That's some saw you have Slo....

Good to meet you at JC the other day.

[Tipi Walter]

I think step 1 is checking the forecast for potential severe weather first. Obviously this can change and catch you unaware once you're away from civilization. I'd probably do whatever I could to get low and stay low. Find a rock outcropping you can crawl under/into. Find a hole you can hide in. Better yet, haul butt to the nearest road and hitch a ride to safety.

I was out during the Big April Storm that ripped thru the Southeast and I spent that Wednesday hunkering next to a rock face in the Bald River wilderness. I knew something bad was coming cuz I had my radio on with the wee'tards(weathermen)in a panic state. Funny thing was, it hit in the night and the radar told them nothing until they saw for themselves the extent of the damage in the full light of the next day.

I heard about the impending storm atop Flats Mt where I had planned on camping. On top at 4,000 feet I was walloped by a preliminary windstorm and decided to get the heck off the mountain and bail to a more protected spot in a river valley, hence the Bald River area. I knew of a spot by a large rock face which offered protection from falling trees, as we have virginia pine and hemlocks to worry about. It was also on a bank around 12 feet above the river so I had no worry about high water, another worrisome consideration during bad storms.

There are several things a backpacker can do in a storm that doesn't include bailing to a shelter or hitching to a town. The town you pick could be wiped out anyway. My plan is always to get low and find a spot to put my tent either by a big old log blowdown, or a rock face. Falling trees are the primary worry on the low ground, while lightning is the main thing up high. Hunkering next to a giant old dead hemlock or oak is a very good spot to camp.

I saw my first tornado in Oklahoma in the 1950's and then saw the black twister which tore thru Wichita Falls, Tx in 1964. Then in '79 another twister hit Wichita Falls and killed 50 people. Back in '94-'95 I was camping near Boone, NC close to Tweetsie Railroad and a freak tornado came thru and slapped my North Face around badly, splitting many of the pole joints. One hundred yards away a parking lot was hit and many cars were destroyed. I was on pow wow "tribal ground" and camped on the other side of the dance circle and the dance leader and his son were sent to the hospital with broken bones.

During big storms I don't worry about my survival when I'm out as much as I worry about the folks back home in the doublewide.

[soulrebel]

I start drinking more and try to take a chit before the storm hits

[TIDE-HSV]

I was out during the Big April Storm that ripped thru the Southeast and I spent that Wednesday hunkering next to a rock face in the Bald River wilderness. I knew something bad was coming cuz I had my radio on with the wee'tards(weathermen)in a panic state. Funny thing was, it hit in the night and the radar told them nothing until they saw for themselves the extent of the damage in the full light of the next day.

I heard about the impending storm atop Flats Mt where I had planned on camping. On top at 4,000 feet I was walloped by a preliminary windstorm and decided to get the heck off the mountain and bail to a more protected spot in a river valley, hence the Bald River area. I knew of a spot by a large rock face which offered protection from falling trees, as we have virginia pine and hemlocks to worry about. It was also on a bank around 12 feet above the river so I had no worry about high water, another worrisome consideration during bad storms.

There are several things a backpacker can do in a storm that doesn't include bailing to a shelter or hitching to a town. The town you pick could be wiped out anyway. My plan is always to get low and find a spot to put my tent either by a big old log blowdown, or a rock face. Falling trees are the primary worry on the low ground, while lightning is the main thing up high. Hunkering next to a giant old dead hemlock or oak is a very good spot to camp.

I saw my first tornado in Oklahoma in the 1950's and then saw the black twister which tore thru Wichita Falls, Tx in 1964. Then in '79 another twister hit Wichita Falls and killed 50 people. Back in '94-'95 I was camping near Boone, NC close to Tweetsie Railroad and a freak tornado came thru and slapped my North Face around badly, splitting many of the pole joints. One hundred yards away a parking lot was hit and many cars were destroyed. I was on pow wow "tribal ground" and camped on the other side of the dance circle and the dance leader and his son were sent to the hospital with broken bones.

During big storms I don't worry about my survival when I'm out as much as I worry about the folks back home in the doublewide.
I'm guessing you were up on Stratton or thereabouts. Good move getting down into the river drainage. I'm not sure why folks are thinking that getting into town or even into a shelter is going to provide protection. Shelters would be useless against the EF5 which plowed through here week before last. Basements were excavated by it. If I were in the forest, my best choice would be a narrow creek or river valley, exactly what you chose...

[Tipi Walter]

I'm guessing you were up on Stratton or thereabouts. Good move getting down into the river drainage. I'm not sure why folks are thinking that getting into town or even into a shelter is going to provide protection. Shelters would be useless against the EF5 which plowed through here week before last. Basements were excavated by it. If I were in the forest, my best choice would be a narrow creek or river valley, exactly what you chose...

Despite what the wee'tard experts say, I always feel safer in the mountains during tornado season.

[lilroo]

Whew, so with all this weather are people staying on the trail? Any word of hikers being hurt this spring from the storms?

[Tipi Walter]

Whew, so with all this weather are people staying on the trail? Any word of hikers being hurt this spring from the storms?

The real kick-butt storm was the Blizzard of '93---the storm of the century according to the wee'tards---and it walloped backpackers all along the east coast. Here's a good quote from Francis of Assisi:

"Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made."

[TIDE-HSV]

Whew, so with all this weather are people staying on the trail? Any word of hikers being hurt this spring from the storms?

You know what it looks like around here on the north side of town. Do you think it's safer here than on the trail?